Chinese New Year falls on Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, kicking off the Year of the Tiger. Celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. Honor this special time in class reading Lunar New Year stories with kids. I’ve listed some of my favorites below!
PLEASE NOTE: While affiliate links are included in this post, many of these titles can be read online for free using Epic! Books.
1. Chinese New Year by Rachel Grack
You could say the best is saved for last when it comes to Chinese New Year! The Lantern Festival stands as the holidayโs grand finale. Dragon and lion puppets dance by day while glowing lanterns float on water and across the sky at night. This introductory text for China’s most famous celebration is sure to captivate beginning readers. On Epic! Books, the story is available as a read-to-me text, allowing young readers to independently access all the fun. Appropriate for ages 5-7.
2. It’s Chinese New Year! by Richard Sebra
Carefully leveled text and fresh, vibrant photos engage young readers in learning about the traditions and celebrations of Chinese New Year. Age-appropriate critical thinking questions and a photo glossary help build nonfiction learning skills. Ideal for students ages 5-7.
3. Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn
Celebrate the sights and sounds of the festive Chinatown streets with this sweet holiday read! Sam must decide how to spend the lucky money he’s received for the Chinese New Year. He is so excited to go shopping with his mom in his favorite place – Chinatown! Things don’t exactly go as planned, though, leaving Sam feeling disappointed. Sam discovers that sometimes the best gifts come from the heart.
As if this heartwarming story weren’t beautiful enough, the vivid watercolor illustrations by artists Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu are breathtakingly gorgeous! A social-emotional lesson on kindness/empathy and decision-making, appropriate for ages 5-7.
4. Chelsea’s Chinese New Year by Lisa Bullard
Chelsea’s family is celebrating Chinese New Year! Chelsea gets to stay up late. She watches fireworks and a parade with a dragon. She and her family have a big feast, but not everyone celebrates like Chelsea. Find out the different ways people celebrate this special day by reading the purple posts scattered throughout this book! Appropriate for ages 5-8.
5. The Story of Our Holidays: Chinese New Year by Joanna Ponto and Faye Robinson
Chinese New Year has been celebrated for thousands of years in China; now, it is celebrated all around the world! Readers will learn the meaning behind the holiday as well as the costumes, decorations, food, and other customs, such as the dragon parade, associated with it. This simple yet engaging book also provides instructions on how to make ya sui qian, the red envelopes the Chinese use for gifts of money, as well as a recipe for fried rice. Yum!
6. How to Catch a Dragon by Adam Wallace
Dragons are a clever bunch, they’re difficult to catch.
You’ll have to set the ultimate trap- but have you met your match?
From the bestselling How to Catch a series comes an all-new dragon story. The kids are off again, this time trying to catch a dragon as they chase him through Chinese New Year celebrations! With bonus educational content and Mandarin translations in the back to enhance your reading experience, How to Catch a Dragon is a great Chinese New Year story for elementary kids ages 3-8.
ACTIONABLE STEPS: Check out my curated collection of Chinese New Year stories for kids on Epic! Books… for FREE! For holiday-themed math activities, try these color by code printables.
